Grupo Herdez

What Grupo Herdez does

Grupo Herdez, S.A.B. de C.V. is a Mexican packaged food company founded in 1914 and listed on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores under ticker HERDEZ since 1991. The company manufactures and distributes a portfolio of more than 1,500 products across ambient, refrigerated, and frozen temperature categories, spanning salsas, mole, mayonnaise, canned vegetables, tomato puree, tuna, honey, guacamole, pasta, ice cream, tea, coffee, and Mediterranean dips. Core owned brands include Herdez, Doña María, Del Fuerte, Búfalo, Embasa, Aires de Campo, Wholly Guacamole, Chi-chi's, Don Miguel, La Victoria, Libanius, and Carlota, supplemented by licensed brands (Helados Nestlé, Häagen-Dazs, Barilla) and distribution agreements (Betty Crocker, Frank's RedHot, French's, Kikkoman). Six of the company's 25+ brands hold #1 or #2 market share in their categories, and market leadership exceeds 70% in mole, tomato puree, and mayonnaises in Mexico, with leadership positions in avocado, mole, and homemade sauce categories in the United States.

The company operates 20 production plants in Mexico plus 1 in the United States, supported by 24 distribution centers in Mexico and 2 in the United States, with exports to 20+ countries. Underlying technology includes an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system under implementation for operational agility, artificial intelligence integration across processes and product development, and 100% FSSC 22000 food safety certification across all plants, supplemented by ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, C-TPAT, KOSHER, FDA/FSMA, and Costco supplier certifications at specific facilities. Agricultural sourcing from 3,800+ Mexican producers (92% SMEs) is structured through the PASyR sustainable and regenerative agriculture program covering 8,000 hectares, delivering 60% water savings via drip irrigation and supplying 134,081 tons of raw materials in 2024.

Grupo Herdez generates revenue through a multi-channel go-to-market that combines sales-led field sales teams for retail and food service, channel partnerships with regional and national distributors in Mexico, distributor-led exports to 20+ countries, and US-market operations through the wholly-owned MegaMex subsidiary (created in 2009 with Hormel Foods). The B2B Herdez Food Service division targets restaurants and institutional buyers, while retail distribution reaches over 90% of Mexican households through Walmart, Soriana, OXXO, convenience stores, and modern trade. Revenue streams include packaged food product sales across owned and licensed brands, plus dividend income from the retained 25% equity interest in McCormick de México following the January 2026 $750 million partial sale. Q1 2026 sales reached MX$5.209 billion (+17.5% YoY) with EBITDA of MX$810 million (+23.7% YoY), and full-year 2025 financials indicate revenue at the MX$21 billion level. The company is controlled by the Hernández-Pons family, with Héctor Hernández-Pons Torres serving as Chairman and CEO since 2004.

Name

Grupo Herdez

Legal name

Grupo Herdez, S.A.B. de C.V.

Website

https://grupoherdez.com.mx

Company type

Public

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Grupo Herdez is a Mexican food company founded in 1914, producing and distributing more than 1,500 products across salsas, mole, mayonnaises, canned vegetables, guacamole, pasta, and frozen desserts under owned and licensed brands in Mexico, the United States, and 20+ export markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Packaged Foods

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Pesto, Cooking Pastes & Concentrated Flavor Bases Manufacturing (AFAKADAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Soups, Broths & Meal Starters (CRADAAAF)

Keywords

• Packaged food products
• Mexican food brands
• Canned and frozen foods
• Salsas and condiments
• Foodservice distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapultepec

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Packaged Food Products: Sales of canned, processed, and packaged food products through retail and food service channels. Includes products under own brands (Herdez, Del Fuerte, Doña María, Búfalo, etc.) and licensed brands (Nestlé ice cream, Barilla pasta). Revenue generated through direct sales to retailers and distributors.
2. International/Mexico Operations: Cross-border operations through MegaMex subsidiary in US market. Exports to 20+ countries. Revenue from US sales of Mexican food products including salsas, guacamole, and related products.
3. Ice Cream/Licensed Operations: Ice cream business under Nestlé license including brands Helados Nestlé, Häagen-Dazs, Mega and Carlos V. Now transitioning to 50-50 joint venture with Froneri.
4. Dividend Income from Joint Ventures: Retained 25% equity interest in McCormick de Mexico generates proportional share of earnings. Dividend income from associated companies.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Grupo Herdez manufactures, distributes, and markets a diversified portfolio of more than 1,500 packaged food products across ambient, refrigerated, and frozen categories—including moles, salsas, puré de tomate, canned vegetables, mayonnaises, guacamole, frozen desserts, organic products, pasta, coffee, and honey—sold under its own brands (Herdez, Doña María, Del Fuerte, Búfalo, Embasa, Wholly Guacamole, Chi-chi's, Don Miguel, La Victoria, Libanius, Carlota, Señor Cactus, Aires de Campo, Blasón, Yemina), licensed brands (Helados Nestlé, Häagen-Dazs, Barilla pasta in Mexico), and distribution brands (Betty Crocker, Kikkoman, Frank's RedHot, French's). It also operates a B2B Herdez Food Service division serving restaurants and institutional buyers, with production through 20 plants in Mexico and 1 in the US.

Product overview

Grupo Herdez is a Mexican food company offering a diversified portfolio of more than 1,500 products spanning ambient, refrigerated, and frozen temperature categories. The portfolio includes owned brands (Herdez, Doña María, Del Fuerte, Búfalo, Embasa, Wholly Guacamole, Chi-chi's, Don Miguel, La Victoria, Libanius, Carlota, Señor Cactus, Aires de Campo, Flaveur, Blasón, Yemina, Onei, Liguria), licensed brands (Helados Nestlé and Häagen-Dazs under Froneri/Nestlé arrangements, Barilla in Mexico via joint venture, Frank's RedHot and French's under McCormick), and distribution brands (Betty Crocker, Häagen-Dazs, Kikkoman, Nestlé products, and General Mills snack brands). The company operates a B2B Food Service division and manages corporate social responsibility programs including Saber Nutrir and Fundación Herdez. The portfolio is anchored in traditional Mexican cuisine (mole, puré de tomate, canned tuna, mayonnaises, jams, honey, mustard, guacamole, dried chiles, spices) with extensions into Mediterranean foods (Libanius hummus), organic products (Aires de Campo), coffee concepts (Cielito Querido Café), and frozen desserts. Infrastructure includes 20 production plants in Mexico, 1 in the United States, 24 distribution centers in Mexico, and 2 in the United States, with a team of approximately 10,187 collaborators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Saber Nutrir: Corporate social responsibility program focused on food security, nutrition education, and child welfare in rural communities in Mexico.
• Fundación Herdez
• Casa Doña María Pons
• PASyR (Programa de Agricultura Sustentable y Regenerativa)

Products and services

• Herdez Flagship brand offering a portfolio of traditional Mexican food products including mole, puré de tomate, canned goods, and related prepared foods for Mexican consumers.
• Doña María Brand renowned for its mole pastes and sauces with an 80-year heritage, central to the traditional Mexican food portfolio and celebrated through Casa Doña María Pons in San Luis Potosí.
• Del Fuerte Brand offering prepared tomato products, sauces, and meal bases including the recently launched Tomates Molidos con Chile Pasilla.
• Búfalo Mayonnaise and condiment brand that pioneered glass-jar packaging in Mexico; holds Declaratoria de Marca Famosa (Famous Brand) designation from IMPI.
• Embasa Canned vegetable and prepared food brand serving the Mexican market with products including tomatoes, chiles, and related staples.
• Wholly Guacamole Guacamole and fresh Mexican dips brand sold in the United States market, serving retail and foodservice channels through the MegaMex subsidiary.
• Chi-chi's Mexican salsa and condiment brand targeting the US consumer market with traditional Mexican flavors, part of the MegaMex portfolio.
• Don Miguel Frozen and fresh Mexican food products brand operating in the US market through the MegaMex subsidiary.
• La Victoria Mexican condiment and sauce brand distributed in the United States, part of the MegaMex portfolio.
• Libanius Mediterranean food brand offering products such as hummus variants including Pimiento Rostizado, positioned in the premium dips and spreads segment.
• Aires de Campo Organic food brand offering certified organic products sourced from local Mexican producers.
• Barilla (Mexico) Italian pasta brand distributed in Mexico through a joint venture with Barilla established in 2000, offering a full range of dried and prepared pasta products.
• Helados Nestlé Ice cream and frozen dessert brand licensed from Nestlé and operated by Grupo Herdez since 2015. In 2026, the business transitioned to a 50/50 strategic association with Froneri International Limited.
• Häagen-Dazs (Mexico) Premium ice cream brand available in Mexico through the Helados Nestlé license arrangement with Froneri.
• Carlota (Miel Carlota) Honey and bee-products brand derived from apiculture operations acquired in 1980, serving the Mexican consumer market.
• Señor Cactus Brand offering cactus-based food products and related Mexican culinary offerings.
• Blasón Coffee brand from Grupo Herdez targeting the Mexican market.
• Yemina Traditional Mexican food brand with a heritage product portfolio serving domestic and export markets.
• Herdez Food Service B2B food service division providing innovative solutions and services to support restaurants and foodservice operators using Grupo Herdez products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17.5% sales growth in Q1 2026 reaching MX$5.209 billion
• +6 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BTG PactualminorOthers · 6 May 2026Market maker services agreement renewed for one year to strengthen liquidity of Grupo Herdez shares on the stock market.
• Froneri International LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026Strategic alliance for ice cream business in Mexico. Each partner maintains 50% economic participation. The business includes brands like Helados Nestlé, Häagen-Dazs, Mega and Carlos V. Grupo Herdez transfers operational control to Froneri.
• McCormick & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 January 2026McCormick acquired an additional 25% stake in McCormick de Mexico from Grupo Herdez for $750 million, raising its ownership to 75%. The joint venture was established in 1947. Grupo Herdez retains a 25% equity interest and continues providing sales and distribution services.
• Aires de CampocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partnership with Aires de Campo, leader in Mexico in commercialization of organic products from local producers.
• MegaMex / Hormel FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009MegaMex established in 2009 through Herdez del Fuerte and Hormel Foods for US operations, bringing Mexican food products to the American market.
• BarillacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Partnership for production and commercialization of pasta products in Mexico. Barilla México established in 2000.
• Liquid I.V. / Isla UrbanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRainwater harvesting infrastructure partnerships to address water scarcity in Mexico. Grupo Herdez's Saber Nutrir program installed 33 new projects including four cisterns, bringing total to 289 cisterns across State of Mexico, Yucatán, and Jalisco.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Conagra Brands: Large North American packaged-foods company with comparable categories in frozen meals, condiments, sauces, and Mexican-style offerings (e.g., Hunt's, PAM, Reddi-wip). Larger scale and broader category mix, but overlapping products and retail/foodservice channels.
• General Mills: Global packaged-foods giant that licenses distribution of Betty Crocker and other brands to Grupo Herdez in Mexico. Comparable branded CPG model with overlapping categories (baking, prepared foods, snacks) and a similar strategic interest in Mexican and Latin American markets.
• Campbell Soup Company: Iconic packaged-foods manufacturer with overlapping shelf-stable categories (soups, sauces, broths - comparable to Grupo Herdez's mole pastes and puré de tomate). Larger incumbent competing for the same retail shelf space and foodservice contracts.
• Nestlé México: Global food and beverage giant and the original licensor of the Helados Nestlé ice cream business that Grupo Herdez acquired in 2015 and is now transitioning to a 50/50 Froneri JV. Overlapping in packaged foods, frozen desserts, and beverages across the same Mexican retail landscape.

Regional players

• Grupo Bimbo: Mexican multinational and the largest bakery company in the world. Comparable in scale, public BMV listing, and Mexican consumer brand leadership, but operates in baked goods rather than shelf-stable/prepared foods. Useful peer for governance, capital allocation, and Mexican market-multiple benchmarking.

Direct peers

• McCormick & Company: Global leader in spices, seasonings, and condiments; joint venture partner with Grupo Herdez in McCormick de Mexico since 1947 and now the controlling 75% owner. Directly comparable product categories (sauces, spices, condiments) and serves as both a partner and direct competitor in overlapping categories.
• Hormel Foods: US protein and packaged-foods company that co-owns the MegaMex subsidiary with Grupo Herdez, distributing Mexican foods (Don Miguel, Wholly Guacamole, Chi-chi's) in the US. Comparable diversified packaged-foods business model with strong retail and foodservice distribution across North America.
• Barilla Group: Italian pasta multinational and joint venture partner with Grupo Herdez since 2000 for Barilla México. Comparable branded packaged-foods model with strong category leadership, and directly comparable in production scale, distribution, and licensing economics in Mexico.
• Conservas La Costeña: Mexican canned foods and salsas manufacturer directly competing with Herdez, Doña María, Del Fuerte, and Embasa brands in shelf-stable vegetables, salsas, and prepared Mexican foods. Closest pure-play Mexican competitor in canned vegetables and jalapeños.
• B&G Foods: US packaged-foods company with a multi-brand portfolio of shelf-stable and specialty foods. Comparable portfolio approach with 1,500+ SKUs across ambient, refrigerated, and frozen, plus similar reliance on legacy brands and licensing/distribution of partner brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/grupoherdezmx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNzoS2Dt9Iay0Lhakii6AwQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/GrupoHerdezMX
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grupo-herdez
• Instagraminstagram.com/grupoherdezmx?igsh=MWZyZTF0ZTZubm03cA==

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grupo Herdez